Oil-mining method and apparatus



Apr'iI 24, 1928.

RANNEY OIL MINING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 18. 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 1 UPPER CAP Roe/(i Fla-1 April 24, 1928.

L. RANNEY OIL MINING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 18. 1926 3She'ets-Sheet 3 FIG. 5

Leo Evy/may avwentoz Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO RAN'NEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB 'I'O STANDARD OIL DEVEEOPIH'TCORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

OIL-MINING METHOD AND APPARATUS.

Application flied June 18, 1928. Serial No. 116,857.

This invention relates to improvementsin the recovery of oil from theearth by a mining method of the type described in my copending patentapplications Serial Nos. 683,703, filed December 31, 1923; 711,596,filed Ma 7, 1924; 14,448, filed March 10, 1925, and 100,531, filed April8, 1926. The invention will be fully understood from the followingdescription, taken in connection with the accompanying drawin in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitu inal section through a tunnel containingequipment for testin an oil sand lying adjacent to the tunnel; I

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sect on through a tunnel, showing theoil-collecting system as well as the testing equ1pmen t;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through an alternative form of testingequipment; and

Fi 5 is a transverse section on the line V of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 1 denotesan oil-bearing stratum or oil sand lying between an upper cap-rock 2 anda lower cap-rock 3. A tunnel or mine gallery 4 is driven adjacent theoil sand and generally parallel thereto. The tunnel is spaced from theoil sand by the lower ca -rock and is not open to the sand except trough an oil-collecting s stem to be described later. I prefer to rivethe tunnel below the level of the oil sand but it may be driven abovethe sand.

In accordance with the present invention I provide equipment for testingthe san to determine the pressure prevailing in it; the resence of gas,oil, or water, and other con itions. This equiplment comprises a seriesof conduits 5, 6, and 8 set in openings drilled from the tunnel throughthe cap-rock and into the oil sand. The four conduits shown forillustration have a gradually decreasing length, but the number andarrangements of the conduits may be varied within considerable limits,depending on the thickness of the sand and the number of test pointsdesired. The thickness of the sand may first be ascertained by drillinguntil the sand is completely traversed and the drill begins to enter theupper ca -rock. Then the opening for the first con uit, 5, is drilled toa oint within the oil sand and just short 0 the upper cap-rock. The

shortest conduit, 8, taps the lowest portion of the oil sand. The twointermediate conduits, 6 and 7, tap intermediate regions of the sand.

Each conduit has within the tunnel a ressure gauge 9, a liquid gauge 10,and a rawofl' valve 11. Pressure and liquid auges usually suliice togive all necessary in ormation, but any other suitable testing devicesmay be used.

Knowledge concerning conditions in the sand being worked has beenrecognized to be desirable, but heretofore no means has beenavailablefor securin such knowledge. \Vith the equipment providedaccording to the present invention, the o erator can readily hnd outwhat he has to eal with and can act accordingly.

()ne particu ar advantageous use of testing equipment of the characterdescribed is in the regulation of unexcavated drainage tunnels in theoil sand. As described in my application 14,448 above referred to,unexcavated draina e tunnels or areas of facilitated flow in t e oilsand are formed b withdrawing oil through a lurality of cosely spacedopenings, thus ormin an evacuated area into which more oil Fows from thesurrounding sand.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the present application, a main collectingpipe 11 is arranged in the tunnel and has branch nipples 12 sealed inthe cap-rock by packing 13. A drill is inserted through each nipple andis o erated to form an opening or mine well 12' in the oil sand, afterwhich the drill is removed. Access is obtained through the lower branchof the cross connection 12", which is provided with a suitable removableplug. Valves 14 (of the gate type to permit assage of the drill) areinstalled in the nipples 12, and the main collectin pipe 11 leads to apump (not shown) whic forwards to the earth surface the fluid conveyedby the pipe. Conduits 15, 16, 17, and 18, and testin devices of the kindpreviously refcrre to, are utilized in conjunction with the collectingsystem. The general direction of flow of fluids through the oil sand isshown by the curved lines traversing the sand in Figs. 2 and 3. Sucharea of flow constitutes the unexcavated drainage tunnel referred toabove.

It is advantageous to control the oil level in the unexcavated drainagetunnels and this may be conveniently done by the regulation of valves14, with the aid of information obtained from the testing conduits 15,1b, 17, and 18. This information will include the exact pressure atvarious points between the top and the bottom of the sand and the tluidcontent, whether gas, air, oil, or water, at any or all of a pluralityof points in the sand. The rate of fluid flow per square inch of exposedsand surface may also be found by measuring the amount of fluidwithdrawn, say through the draw-off valve on conduit 15. Knowing thecrosssectional area of conduit 15, and the amount discharged through itper unit of time, the rate of flow for each square inch of exposedsurface may be calculated.

In the light oi knowledge obtained from the testing devices as toconditions in the sand, the operator may regulate the valves 14 in thenipples 12 so as to secure a steady and uniform fall or rise of levelthroughout the area of sand being operated upon. The valve regulationmay be supplemented by varying suction on the main collecting pipe 11.If it is desired to raise the fluid level, some or all of the valves 14are closed or partly closed; upon opening the valves the fluid level iscaused to sink. The rate of fall can be controlled by regulating theamount of openin of the valves. The prac tiee above referred to appliesequally as well to hot sand tunnels. These, as described in theapplication Serial No. 14,448, are unexcavated drainage tunnels formedwhen heat is used in connection with the draw-off nipples.

My invention is particularly useful in cases where a fluid (alr, gas,water, etc., with or without heatin is to be put into the sand. Forexample, assuming that gas is being forced into an upper portion of thesand and oil is being withdrawn from 11. lower portion, it is of greatimportance to know the actual pressure within the sand. The pressureapplied may be dissipated almost as soon as the gas enters the sand, byreason of porous streaks in the sand. Or the gas may meet a compact iner which prevents its reaching the main bo y of sand. By the use of thetesting devices described, the operator can readily tell whether he isputtin; the right pressure on the desired area and can regulate his gassupply accordingly. The gauges are read periodically and furnish acontinuous source of information, not only as to the fluid conditions invarious sand levels, but also as to the travel of fluids horizontallythrough the sand.

l/Vhen using compressed air as the expulsive medium, samples of theair-gas mixture in the sand are taken and the supply of air is regulatedto prevent the formation of explosive mixtures. These are a seriousdanger under the former haphazard air-injection method. According to thepresent invention, also, the operator may readily determine thecondition of surface-tension reducing solutions applied to the sand.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown an alternative form of testim conduit.This comprises telescoping tubes 19 and 20. The outer tube 19 hasperforations 21. The inner tube 20 is not perforated and fits closely inthe outer tube so as to seal off all the perforations which it covers.The inner tube may be adjusted to expose any desired perforation. Thetelescoping tubes are inserted in openings in the oil sand in the samemanner as the separate testing conduits above described. In general,separate testing conduits are preferable. In most lields the number ofconduits required is not large; a group every 300 or 400 yardsthroughout the extent of the tunnel is adequate. The testing conduitsmay be advantageously used from a tunnel above the oil sand. In thiscase a small suction pump will be connected with the conduits towithdraw samples from the various levels.

Various changes and alternative arrangiments may be made within thescope of t appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim allnovelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

1. In securing hydrocarbons from a hydrocarboipbearing stratum by meansof a collectin system arranged in a mine gallery outside t e stratum butadjacent thereto the improvement which comprises establishing aplurality of test points within the stratum, each giving substantiallyimmediate indicia of chan ing conditions therein, determining from saidindicia the conditions existing in the stratum at such points, andregulating the operation accordingly.

2. In securing oil from an oil sand by means of a collecting systemarranged in a mine gallery outside the sand, with the use of explosiveforce applied to the sand, the improvement which comprises establishinga series of test points beglnning near the top of the sand andprogressively increasing in distance therefrom to a point adjacent thebottom of the sand, determinin conditions existing in the sand at aplura ity of such test points, and regulating the collecting system andthe expulsive force accordingly.

3. In securing oil from an oil sand by means of a collecting systemarranged in a mine gallery outside the sand but adjacent thereto, saidsystem comprisin a. main collecting pipe extending longitu inally of thegaller and having a large number of closely space nipples connectedthereto and tapping the sand, whereb a drainage area is formed generallypara leling the main collecting pi e, the improvement which comprisesesta lishing a plurality of test points within the drainage area, eachgiving substantially immediate indicia of changing conditions therein,regulating the fluid level in the drainage area in accordance withconditions determined at said plurality of points therein.

4. In combination with a fluid-collecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil-bearing stratum, but spaced therefronnaconduit tapping the stratum from the gallery and carrying testingdevices for giving substantially immediate indicia of conditions in thestratum.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, in, which the conduit comprises atube having spaced perforations throughout a substantial part of itslength embedded in the stra tum, and a sleeve telescoping in said tubeand adapted to prevent flow from certain of said perforations whilereceiving fluids discharged from others thereof.

6. In combination with a fluid-collecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil-bearing stratum, but spaced therefrom, aseries of conduits tapping the stratum at progressively decreasingdistances from its top, and testing devices connected to each conduitfor indicating conditions in the stratum.

7. In combination with a fluid connecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil bearing stratum, but spaced therefrom, aseries of conduits formed from the gallery to progressively increasingdistances into the stratum, indicating instruments on said conduits andwithin the allery, whereb y substantially immediate in icia of chan ingconditions in the stratum ma be 0 tamed, and control valves arrange insaid fluid collecting system and adapted to be regulated in accordancewith said indicia. LEO RANNEY.

CORRECTION.

Granted April 24, 1928, to

LEO RANNEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Page 2, line 111, claim 2, for the word "explosive" read "expulsive";page 3, line 30, claim 7, for the word "connecting" read "collecting";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Si ned and sealed this 24th day of July, l) 1928.

(Seal) WM. A. Kinnan, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

within the drainage area, each giving substantially immediate indicia ofchanging conditions therein, regulating the fluid level in the drainagearea in accordance with conditions determined at said plurality ofpoints therein.

4. In combination with a fluid-collecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil-bearing stratum, but spaced therefronnaconduit tapping the stratum from the gallery and carrying testingdevices for giving substantially immediate indicia of conditions in thestratum.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, in, which the conduit comprises atube having spaced perforations throughout a substantial part of itslength embedded in the stra tum, and a sleeve telescoping in said tubeand adapted to prevent flow from certain of said perforations whilereceiving fluids discharged from others thereof.

CERTIFICATE OF Patent No. 1,667,269.

6. In combination with a fluid-collecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil-bearing stratum, but spaced therefrom, aseries of conduits tapping the stratum at progressively decreasingdistances from its top, and testing devices connected to each conduitfor indicating conditions in the stratum.

7. In combination with a fluid connecting system arranged in a minegallery adjacent to an oil bearing stratum, but spaced therefrom, aseries of conduits formed from the gallery to progressively increasingdistances into the stratum, indicating instruments on said conduits andwithin the allery, whereb y substantially immediate in icia of chan ingconditions in the stratum ma be 0 tamed, and control valves arrange 1nsaid fluid collecting system and adapted to be regulated in accordancewith said indicia. LEO RANNEY.

CORRECTION.

Granted April 24, 1928, to

LEO RANNEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Page 2, line 111, claim 2, for the word "explosive" read "expulsive";page 3, line 30, claim 7, for the word "connecting" read "collecting";and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these correctionstherein that the same may conform to the record of the case in thePatent Office.

Si ned and sealed this 24th day of July, l) 1928.

(Seal) WM. A. Kinnan, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

